


Interrogation

by TheIronDragonLover (RannaFic)



Series: With Friends Like These [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-13
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-25 04:34:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3796867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RannaFic/pseuds/TheIronDragonLover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Varric is concerned about the Inquisitor committing to a relationship with a Qunari.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interrogation

Varric paced. Finally Cullen got tired of it and demanded "Ok you wanted a private audience. You got one, so talk. What is it?" Varric sighed "Look I thought, well initially I had no problems. I thought it was just mostly curiosity but we defeated Corypheus a while ago now and there is no sign of it ending." Cullen was mystified "Varric, what are you talking about?" Varric turned to him "You were there when Hawke defeated the Arishok and got the Qunari to leave. You remember what they were like. No one understood them. Not really." Cullen froze "This is about The Iron Bull isn't it. Look, whatever Qunari are generally like, he and the Inquisitor work well." Varric scowled "Yes but... I'm not saying Qunari don't ever care about others. They are ferociously loyal to their responsibilities and it's blatantly obvious Iron Bull cares about his men a great deal. However they just do not think the way we do. Don't you remember Bull passed the decision on whether or not to rescue his men to the Inquisitor? That is not a normal emotional bond the way humans, or dwarves or elves understand it. They don't even have marriage or raise their own kids." Cullen shifted uncomfortably "Look the Inquisitor is to, put it bluntly, deeply in love with Iron Bull and any interference would not be welcome." Varric frowned "That's exactly my point. The Inquisitor is my friend and he might be in love with someone who just doesn't feel the same way and not know it. We need to know how Iron Bull really feels." Cullen hoped he would not regret this. "I presume you have a plan?"

"Good job Inquisitor!" Lavellan turned, prepared to give his usual polite thank yous and was thrilled to see, of all unexpected people, Hawke. "For a while there I was sure I would never see you again." Iron Bull seemed pleased too, giving Hawke a hearty slap on the back that almost knocked him over. Hawke begged them not to make a big deal of it. He said he was on his way back to Kirkwall but he had to stop off because as he said "You saved the world. The least I could do was say thank you in person." The Inquisitor set up a quiet dinner in a private room at the local Inn and they sat down together to continue their conversation. "I wasn't alone but people seem to have forgotten that. It's a lot of responsibility. Sometimes I wish I could just follow your example and leave." Hawke laughed "Oh Maker please don't. Leliana would hunt me down and kill me if I inspired such a thing. Besides I left just ahead of what would have been an army of angry templars back when people still trusted them. Your situation is entirely different. You were the hero." Lavellan's voice was firm "You were the hero too Hawke. You prevented the mages from being massacred. People always forget, but there were children among the innocent mages in the Circle. You even defeated Corypheus. Unfortunately no one knew about his dragon then." Hawke looked pleased "A toast then. To Heroes and those who help them." The inquisitor reached for another bottle of wine but Hawke stopped him "For such a toast we should try my special wine." Kirkwall's Champion pulled a bottle from his bag and poured some for himself, Lavellan and The Iron Bull. Lavellan drank. "It's good". Hawke smiled and refilled the glasses "Drink up"

Iron Bull woke up with a pounding headache. He opened his eyes and then shut them again rapidly. That was way too bright. He turned away from the sky and stopped. What on earth were they doing outside? He sat up abruptly, looked around and felt his heart sink. There was no 'they' because there was no Lavellan anywhere to be seen. He called out "Kadan!" but there was no answer. He thought back. The last thing he remembered was the unexpected dinner party with Hawke. Now he was here with no sign of weapons or armor. As he got up he heard a hail and turned around to see Hawke walk into the clearing. Hawke looked worried "I've been scouting around but there seems to be no one here but the two of us. We have to find the Inquisitor." Bull started forward and as he got closer stopped abruptly. At first he thought he would play along but his head hurt, and he was worried, and it put him in no mood for games "You took Lavellan. Where is he?" The expression of surprise that passed over Hawke's face was fleeting but Bull was expecting it "What? You thought you'd lead me around for a while? Pretend to be looking for him? Not interested. I'm not going to pretend you don't have me at a disadvantage here but if you've hurt him at all I promise you I will make you bitterly regret it before I kill you." 

Hawke suddenly dropped all pretense "How did you know?" Iron Bull shrugged "Last thing I remember is drinking with your special bottle of wine. You never touched Lavellan in my presence but his smell is all over you." Bull's smile was not the least bit reassuring "So what do you want from me. If you wanted us dead we would be already. If you wanted something from Lavellan you would have me in a deep dark hole and you would be talking to him not me." 

Hawke was disconcerted. This was not going according to plan at all. He was supposed to be dragging Iron Bull over the countryside and subtly questioning him to find out his real motivations. They were supposed to come across the hut where Lavallen was safely trapped behind the strongest magic barriers Hawke could create in two or three days. Varric had carefully stocked it with food and water for a good week and Cullen had soldiers in a wide ring around it to ensure no enemies or animals could get anywhere near it. Cullen had insisted they either leave the Inquisitor his staff or have the protective circle of soldiers and Hawke had a feeling with the staff Lavellen would be through the barrier in minutes. Now that whole plan was all out the window. Hawke decided the best he could do was push. "What are you willing to give Qunari. I've dealt with your kind before. You are hard to understand at the best of times but you will keep your word if it is given." To his surprise Iron Bull did not even pause for thought. "Anything I can do or give you can have." Hawke decided to force the issue "If I demanded Krem's life?" Iron Bull actually took a step back "What? No!" Hawke decided to deescalate the situation. "So do not pretend it is 'anything' then." He decided to put out some feelers while Bull was still off balance "Why do you care about your bed partner so much anyway. I thought Qunari just thought of sex as a bodily need like eating." Iron Bull looked scornful. "He is not my bed partner. He is my Kadan." With no warning he suddenly charged and for a good ten minutes Hawke had his hands full. He found it hard to keep Bull off him without doing something potentially fatal. Finally he managed to get Bull down and stunned and threw a static cage around him to prevent another attack. Bull was clearly hurt. Hawke thought there were likely some cracked ribs at least. Hawke felt bad about that but at least he had his answer. Perhaps Qunari did not typically make emotional investments in their sexual partners but clearly Iron Bull had, despite the fact that it was generally discouraged as far as Hawke had been able to tell. Perhaps Iron Bull had not thought through the results of sleeping with someone who was he was also likely to get emotionally attached to as a fellow companion in arms. 

Hawke turned to Bull who was slowly getting to his feet. "Perhaps I should take you to see the Inquisitor so you can understand your position and behave better." Bull looked like Hawke had just stabbed him. He actually dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands. When he looked up again his eyes were blazing with hate. "If my Kadan were still alive you would never dare take me near him hurt. Lavellan will be avenged. I will cut out your heart and eat it in front of you." All Hawke could think was "Oh shit!". 

Hawke stepped back and threw a couple of ice glyphs on the ground between himself and the static cage around The Iron Bull for good measure. "Damn this is the last time I'm ignoring my instincts to do a favor for a friend. It NEVER turns out well for me." To his surprise Iron Bull tilted his head at his muttered comment and then smiled. "Varric right. Can't be anyone else. I know he was angry about Lavellan supporting your request to stay and fight the nightmare but I didn't think he would go this far." To Hawke's astonishment Iron Bull yelled at a truly astonishing volume "Come out Varric. Stop hiding behind your soon to be dead friend and come and face me." Then he settled down clearly waiting. Hawke tried to explain to Iron Bull that Lavellan was fine but none of his conversational gambits got anything but a stoic silence until suddenly Varric appeared at a run and skidded to a halt. "Oh Maker. How you managed to piss off Bull trying to befriend him..." suddenly he stopped and looked at Bull carefully and then to Hawke's astonishment punched him hard enough to knock him down. "How the hell did Bull get hurt! Are you entirely mad! Lavallen will lose it! Heal him right now dammit!" Hawke stared up at the dwarf. "This was your damn plan! ..." They were interrupted by laughter. Iron Bull was laughing so hard he ended up holding his ribs and then falling to his knees with a groan. Hawke took to opportunity to drop the cage and heal him though he was careful to keep the glyphs between him and Bull. 

Bull looked at Varric and he seemed to have transformed again to the relaxed, amused Qunari that Hawke remembered from their dinner. "Where's my axe?" Varric looked disgruntled "Cullen has it." Iron Bull looked at Hawke then. "Shall we go rescue my Kadan from whatever place you've caged him? It will be better than letting him break out himself." Hawke looked at Varric who shrugged "He's right about that." Hawke couldn't believe it "He doesn't have a staff." Bull smiled "No but since he's in there by himself he will be extremely motivated. He'll have broken out by the end of the day and the longer we wait the worse it will be trying to calm him down." Bull looked at Varric again. "We should pick up the axe first. That way when he sees me he won't suspect I am under any undue influence. Also probably better to have everyone stay out of sight." Varric nodded. Hawke eyed both of them warily. "Varric I don't get it. If you get along this well what made you decide not to just talk to him?" Iron Bull smiled "Oh he can't trust anything I say. I suppose he expected since you have dealt with Qunari before you're a kind of expert? Out of curiosity what titles did the Qunari you met hold?" Varric piped up at that "An Arishok, Taarbas, Sten. What are you saying Ben-Hassrath are allowed to well, use sex to express emotional bonds." Bull laughed at that "No. Of course not. Such things are dangerous. They might compromise your loyalty to the Qun above all but of course I am Tal-Vashoth. I was already before I started being emotionally involved with Lavellan" Varric slapped himself on the head. "I'm an idiot!" Bull looked fond "Yes you are."

Lavellan steeled himself again for another attack on the barrier around the little hut. He could tell it was finally weakening. Channeling magic without a staff was very difficult but he was not about to let himself be caged while who knew what was happening to his friends. He was trying very hard not to think about why neither Hawke nor Bull were with him. If something happened to Hawke again Varric would never forgive him. He wasn't sure if Hawke had even seen Varric yet. To have to tell Varric that Hawke had come back from what had been almost certain death and then died while under Lavellan's care would be the stuff of nightmares. His mind shied away from any thoughts of the missing Qunari. Abruptly the barrier dropped. Lavallen practically threw himself out the house and saw Iron Bull waiting there for him.

After a somewhat enthusiastic reunion Lavellan pulled back. "We have to find Hawke. Any idea where to start looking?" Iron Bull looked embarrassed. "You remember when Leliana thought that I was hurting you?" The Inquisitor froze "Are you telling me that story went to Varric and he believed it? That this is his version of we thought you were being abused? There is no way I want to have that conversation with him. He'll never stop teasing me!" Suddenly Varric popped into view "Do tell. What story?" The Inquisitor was confused "It was bad enough that Leliana bought that but how could Varric think that you were a danger to me? He's fought with us! At least Leliana had the excuse of never having seen you hang back to protect me. Which was annoying since you ended up leaving everyone else to fend for themselves. How many times has Varric had to ask for a little help from you when you're busy keeping monsters off me." Varric looked annoyed "Maker I'm not an idiot! Everyone knows Bull would never abuse you. I was just worried that he was not emotionally available and ... you know now that I said it out loud it just sounds idiotic." Bull smiled at him "Told you. Idiot." Lavellan threw up his hands in disgust. Suddenly Hawke and, of all people, Cullen came from around the back of the hut. Hawke looked amused "These two idiots wanted my help to find out how Bull really felt about you. Unfortunately it did not work out quite as neatly as they hoped." 

Lavellan quickly turned and scanned Bull but he looked fine. Bull's grin was evil however when he said "Healing spells are amazing aren't they." Lavellan completely lost his temper but before he could make a single move he found himself pulled hard against Bull's chest with his arms pinned to his sides. Once he finally stopped struggling Bull released him looking bashful. "Sorry I just wanted to see Hawke's face and truly he needed a better idea of just what danger he was courting. I'm fine honestly, wouldn't have been permanent damage even without the healing spell and in fairness I did threaten to eat his heart." Lavallen took a deep breath "Will someone please explain in detail just what has been going on."

When the explanation was done Lavellan went off for a walk with Bull muttering "All my friends are idiots, idiots!" Varric couldn't help yelling after him "Wait until it's Sera's turn. Or Maker forbid Cole's" Once they were out of earshot he turned to Hawke "I hope they are more sensible than the rest of us otherwise there will be real trouble." Cullen looked troubled at the idea "Actually the one I would be worried about is Dorian." Varric looked pensive "What about Vivienne?" They exchanged glances and both shuddered. Hawke watched Cullen and Varric wander off bickering and sighed then shouted after Varric "My friends might start wars but at least they never kidnapped me!" before going off to look for a drink. 

After all the drama of the last day Lavellan had been looking forward to a smooth relaxing day now that they were back at Skyhold. He supposed that this was not truly any kind of problem but as he sorted through his clothes frantically it certainly felt like it. The inquisitor generally loved having servants to clean his clothing since he hated doing it himself. However right now he was feeling like he might need to rethink his position. His clothes had come back pink. Not just the fabric but even the leather. The poor servant looked like she was about to cry. Lavellan tried again "Can't you just bring me something else?" The servant practically wailed "It's all pink!" Iron Bull laughed again and Lavellan glared at him. The Qunari shrugged "What can I say I like pink" at that they exchanged glances and said simultaneously "Sera". 

The elf would not stop laughing. She would slow down look at Lavellan again and off she would go again into peals of laughter. Finally the Inquisitor sat down to wait, joining Iron Bull who had given up a long time ago and was lounging in a chair. Finally she stopped her eyes twinkling "Look at it this way, at least now you no longer need to worry what I'll do since I was so nice as to enhance your relationship by improving your wardrobe. This was it. Now 5 down only 4 to go." Iron Bull started laughing again gasping through his chuckles "See, told you no one counts Solas" Lavellan scowled. Bull only laughed harder. "I don't know what's so funny. Your men did their little let's help our friend too" Bull looked and him and then grinned smugly "At least my men were efficient. Got it over with for all of them in one shot instead of this small group bit where it drags out!" Lavellan stared and then stalked off. Bull looked at Sera "Thanks yeah. I needed a laugh. Love the color too" Sera smiled "Thought you might" Bull figured all in all he could live with their friends, harebrained nonsense and all. At least life was never boring.


End file.
